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Paula Newman Pollachek

Paula Newman Pollachek, born and raised in Akron, Ohio, received her BFA from the University of Wisconsin / Madison and her MFA from California College of the Arts in Oakland / San Francisco. She runs Newman Metalworks, LLC, a metalsmithing and design studio working primarily in precious metals.

Paula’s work is a part of the permanent collections of the Jüdisches Museum Berlin, Germany and The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, Berkeley, California. She is part of private collections in North America, Europe and the Middle East.

Recent publications include Modern Judaica: Todays’s Makers, Today’s Sacred Objects, Schiffer Publishing, 2023; The JMB (Jewish Museum Berlin) Journal Nr. 7, 2012, on the children’s audio guide based on Paula’s 5 spice boxes there; Art Jewelry Magazine, Beyond Jewelry, 2011; Highlights of the Jewish Museum Berlin 2010; The Jewish Museum Berlin’s guide to the Permanent collection, 2009; 500 Metal Vessels, Lark Books, 2007; Blessed Is the Daughter, Schreiber Publications, Inc.,1999; The Chicago Tribune and San Francisco Examiner Magazines. The artist was a prize winner in the Spertus Judaica Exhibition 1998 and a finalist for the American Craft Museum Horizon Award 2001, New York City.

Recent exhibitions include: The Messinger Gallery, Boulder CO; The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, TN; The Jewish Museum Berlin, Berlin Germany; The Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco; SOFA NYC; The Magnes Museum, Berkeley, California and The Spertus Museum, Chicago, Illinois.

Permanent Collections

  • Jüdisches Museum Berlin, Germany
  • The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, Berkeley, California

Selected Recent Exhibitions

  • Paula Newman Pollachek, (solo) The Messinger Gallery, Boulder, CO 2023.
  • 20 years 21 Objects A Special Exhibit of each year between 2001 to 2021, Jüdisches Museum Berlin, Berlin Germany, 2021 ongoing.
  • CORE Exhibition, Jewish Life in Germany: Past & Present, Jüdisches Museum Berlin, Berlin Germany, 2021 ongoing.
  • In Service of Havdalah: Jewish Spice Boxes and other Judaica (invitational), The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis TN, 2013
  • Childrens Audio Guide, Jüdisches Museum Berlin, Berlin Germany, August 2012 – present
  • Permanent Collection, Jüdisches Museum Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 2003-present (catalogs)
  • Scents of Purpose: Artists Interpret the Spice Box (catalog, invitational), The Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA, 2005
  • SOFA New York 2004, Seventh Annual International Exposition of Sculpture Objects & Functional Art, New York City
  • WEST goes EAST: Yaw Gallery, SOFA NYC, 2004, New York City (catalog)
  • Engaging the Five Senses, A Collection of Jewish Ceremonial Artwork (solo show) Washington D.C. 2003
  • Collecting for the Future: Recent Acquisitions to the Magnes Museum Collection, Berkeley, California, 1999-2000
  • Making Change: Artists Interpret the Tzedakah Box, (invitational, catalog) San Francisco Jewish Museum, San Francisco, California, 1999-2000
  • The Philip & Sylvia Spertus Judaica Prize Exhibition, The Havdalah Spice Container, (catalog) Spertus Museum, Chicago, Illinois, 1998-1999

Recent Publications

  • Modern Judaica: Today’s Makers, Today’s Sacred Objects, Jim Cohen 2023.
  • 20 Years, 21 Objects, A Special Exhibit from each year between 2001-2021, interview and video, Jüdisches Museum Berlin, Berlin Germany, 2021.
  • JMB (Jewish Museum Berlin) Journal, Nr. 7, 2012, Permanent Exhibition and Media: For Hunters and Gatherers, An interactive audio guide for children.
  • Art Jewelry Magazine, Beyond Jewelry, 2011
  • Highlights from the Jewish Museum Berlin, Jüdisches Museum Berlin, 2010
  • Gesammelt, Gefaltet, Gezählt – Museums guide, 2009 Jüdisches Museum Berlin, The Jewish Museum Berlin’s guide to the permanent collection
  • 500 Metal Vessels, 2007 Lark Books
  • American Style, Ritual Pursuits, Winter 2003-2004
  • Zwei, Magazine des Jüdischen Museums Berlin, Nr. 1, 2003
  • Blessed Is the Daughter, 1999 Schreiber Publications, Inc.
  • The Chicago Tribune and San Francisco Examiner Magazines
  • The artist was a prize winner in the Spertus Judaica Exhibition 1998 and a finalist for the American Craft Museum Horizon Award 2001, New York City.